The Sickness

Chapter One - Page Two.

Ordinarily, Taka would have been reassured. The boars were fairly friendly with the Raven Clan, with whom he'd been living for the past six moons, but there was something very wrong about this hunter. He moved with an awkward lurching gait, his head lolling from side to side. And he was stalking the auroch. Two slate throwing-axes were stuck in his belt - and as Taka watched in disbelief, he pulled one out and hefted it in his hand.

Was he mad?!

No man hunts an auroch on his own. An auroch is the biggest, strongest prey in the forest. To attack one on your own is asking to be killed.

The auroch, happily, unaware, grunted and rubbed deeper into the mud, relishing the relief from the troublesome midges. Her calf nosed a clump of willowherb, waiting for her to finish.

Taka rose to his feet and warned the hunter with urgent slicing motions of his palms: Danger! Go back!

The hunter didn't see him. Flexing his brawny arm, he took aim - and hurled the axe.

It whistled through the air and thudded into the ground a hand's breadth from the calf.

The calf fled. Its mother gave an outraged bellow and lumbered to her feet, casting about for the attacker. But the hunter was still downwind; she didn't catch his scent.

Incredibly, he was reaching for his second axe.

"No!" Taka whispered hoarsely. "You'll only hurt her and get us both killed!"

The hunter wrenched the axe from his belt.

Taka thought swiftly. If the axe found its mark, the auroch would be unstoppable. But if she was startled instead of wounded, maybe she would merely make a mock charge and flee with her calf. He had to get her out of range of that axe, fast.

Finished on — A Saturday. 1/02/2025, at 12:51 AM.

Words included — 312.